


Keith Genuary Day 8: Red Lion

by sunshinehime



Series: Keith's Gen-Uary Event 2019 [5]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Keith (Voltron) Angst, Nightmares, Non-Consensual Touching, Psychological Horror, keith - Freeform, red lion - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 21:21:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17352812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshinehime/pseuds/sunshinehime
Summary: Sometimes the things that come for Keith are in his head. The Red Lion is always there to protect him.





	Keith Genuary Day 8: Red Lion

**Author's Note:**

> This is a pretty experimental piece of work.

Keith has very bad dreams sometimes. They linger for days and leave him disturbed and shifty, as if there's a weird buzzing just under his skin. Shiro eyes him with care on those days but he doesn't talk, talking will make them real and he can't handle real.

The ones with the hands are the worst. They cover him, grab and leave shivers, marks. So many hands they’re everywhere. They hold, hurt, caress, bruise he can't run can't breathe can't he _can't_

Keith’s eyes jolt open, heartbeat erratic and heavy against his ribcage. He curls up, arms wrapped around his torso, blankets tangled in his legs and he clenches his eyes shut to help steady his breathing. But he continues to wheeze and choke on the air, flashes of the dream repeating in his mind.

Pressure pushes down on his chest, almost crushes him. He still feels hands caressing his skin, trailing goosebumps in their path. Fat tears burn his eyes and fall down his face, his body trembles as his quivering hands grip the sides of his head. Fingernails scratch and dig hard enough to leave angry red marks on his temples and cheeks.

His room is inky black. His bed is too small, too little room to move around. Why is the desk so close? The walls are too close they’re brushing against his skin. Strong sniffles irritate his nose but he can't, can't hear them can't hear the hiccups that spasm in his throat, no thrumming of Altean tech no noise _no sounds_

Too many hands, so many they’re on his arms and neck and stomach and they...and he needs to...to...he needs to, they need to stop...he please he…

His eyes are open and his vision blurs, tilting, black dots blink in. The walls are _right there_ he feels them they press on his sides crushing him stealing air from his lungs he tries to scrub tears away to see but he _can't see_

Keith vaults out the bed and trips on the blanket wrapped around his legs, crashing into the wall. His heart pounds head pounds and he gropes blindly for the console to trigger the door (the hands are coming again he _feels them_ ), palms the unlock key, barely waits for the door to open a sliver before squeezing through and sprinting down the hallway.

His boots (boots are in case he needs to run from _them_ ) bang on the floor with each stomp, echoing in the empty Castle halls. Sweat pours down his face. The white and colors blur into streaks, he’s panting he can't hear it but he feels the hoarse itch as air burns his throat. He gropes the walls, stumbles, picks up speed. The world is muffled and he's dizzy the hands are right behind him, they’re reaching for him he runs faster they’ll catch him they’ll _catch him_

A small part of Keith’s mind tells him he’s panicking to calm down to sit and think, but he can’t listen to that he needs to get somewhere safe because he’s _freaking_. _Out_. And he has to go and the hands will grab him--

**come here**

He nearly topples over at the voice inside his brain and he knows that voice he knows it. Keith calls out to it, to help him hide to please help him don't leave him

**this way come this way**

His legs pick up speed, boots pounding down hard enough to send pulses through his feet, and lead him to the Lion’s hangar. It’s Red it was Red reaching him Red please help please he can’t hecan't _hecan't_

Her mouth opens up and lowers as he approaches and he leaps forward, grabs the bottom jaw and hoists himself up, diving inside the cockpit. Red’s mouth closes and the darkness gives way to a deep red glow, bathing Keith. He huddles near his chair, chest heaving, sweat soaking through his shirt, slicking his hair, and mixing with the tears streaming down his face.

Sound suddenly bursts in his ears, he hears the humming of the engines and UI at work, hears the heaves of his lungs greedily sucking in air, his wet coughs as he regains his breath. The hands are gone now. Red creates a barrier of fire, he can feel it surround them, and it drives them away.

There’s warmth building in Keith’s chest and it spreads to his stomach, his limbs, neck, and puts a deep flush on his face. His breath still comes in stuttering pants, eyes squeezed shut, and he’s tightly curled, head tucked in his legs.

The warmth increases and the image of a campfire flashes in his mind’s eye, the flames crackling as it laps at blackening wood. His breath slowly evens out and the pressure squeezing his chest finally loosens.

Keith opens his eyes and his vision is clear. The red glow suffuses the area and calms him. Red has always been his favorite color, when he dons Red he feels powerful, fierce. Red soothes him, gives him control and security.

His heart rate slows, breathing quiets and he uncoils his body, turning to rest on his back. Red floods him with emotions, ones they've shared through their deep-seated bond. Exhilaration. Pride. Joy. A profound trust.

Keith closes his eyes again, the soft red bleeds through his eyelids and swathes him in a gentle embrace. A faint purring rumbles through his senses, lulling him to sleep. He is at peace. Red will protect him.

**Author's Note:**

> I never wrote anything like this before, so it was quite the challenge. And while I always welcome feedback, I would especially love some for this piece.
> 
> Also, it was intentional to keep the origins of Keith's nightmares vague. Now you can imagine any reason you want!


End file.
